


i said i like you

by shairiru



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-07
Updated: 2014-12-07
Packaged: 2018-02-27 20:46:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2706164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shairiru/pseuds/shairiru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It turned out to be a confession.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i said i like you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chaco](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaco/gifts).



> Midorima courts Akashi. Bad poetry ahead.

“What I’m saying is that I like you. A lot, and for the longest time. Now that we are in good terms again, I don’t want to waste more time and I want to be able to hold your hand, and tell you my day and listen to yours and hug you close and kiss your forehead knowing that you like all of it.”

 

Midorima was flustered and panting by the time he finished and Akashi stands before him feeling as flustered as he was. They were just about to part ways, coming all the way from Kuroko’s birthday party when Midorima stopped on his tracks and pulled Akashi aside to tell him something. It turned out to be a confession.

 

“I...I don’t know what you want me to say to that.”

 

In truth, Akashi had a little bit of a crush on Midorima back in middle school but he never acted upon it nor made it known to anyone. He wants to keep it that way.

 

“You’re going back soon in Kyoto which is five hours away from here, and I know it would affect it a lot. But I want to ask you out. Well, you know, I want to make you like me.”

 

“Are you saying that you want to _court_ me?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Akashi laughs a little, covering his mouth with the back of his hand.

 

“Do you really think that’s possible?”

 

“Well, if you don’t want to, you can just tell me,” his lips curved downwards and he looks away, “I can accept rejection. We can pretend this never happened.”

 

Akashi remembers the him that had been cruel to Midorima and he feels a little bit guilty. Sure, they have talked about their issues earlier and are in better terms right now, but some things aren’t easily forgotten. He still wants to make up for all those things he has done and said.

 

“No, no, it’s not like that,” he looks at the trip schedules to Kyoto. “You know, I can spare the night in our house here in Tokyo. Would you like to go out for dinner somewhere?”

 

Midorima’s eyes widens in surprise. 

 

“I was the one asking you out.”

 

“Well, someone has to take initiative.”

 

 

.

 

 

“So, about courting you...”

 

Akashi looks at Midorima. He meets his eyes staring back straight on, having gained some confidence since earlier’s confession. 

 

“It doesn’t sound so bad. Wouldn’t it be too much of work though? I’m in Kyoto, you’re here.”

 

“It’s nothing. Distance is just another obstacle I will have to face.”

 

They reached the corner they used to part ways from in middle school, the different roads leading to their own homes. Akashi turns to face him.

 

“You told me earlier that you’ve liked me since middle school. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Why only now?”

 

Midorima shifts on his heel and pushes up his glasses.

 

“I was afraid, back then. Of rejection. Getting hurt,” he stands a little bit straighter, “But I no longer am now.”

 

“You’ve changed a lot,” he muses, “Changed for the better. Well, should we get going now? This is my way.”

 

“Yeah,” Midorima stood unmoving, his face distorting a little due to some unknown internal conflict. At the end, he reaches out and pats Akashi’s head, “Take care.”

 

He turns away, his head bowed. However, Akashi didn’t miss how red his ears have turned. He touches the spot Midorima patted and smiled to himself. It’s a good start.

 

.

 

“Was it really hidden here?” Hayama whispers as he picks the lock on Akashi’s locker.

 

“Yeah. I saw Akashi fold it nicely and put it inside.”

 

“You two, better hurry up. It’s almost the end of his class.”

 

“Yes, Reo-nee.”

 

Hayama and Nebuya are huddled in front of Akashi’s locker as Mibuchi stands guard by the door. In yesterday’s practice, they have noticed Akashi reading a piece of paper over and over again and every time he does, he’d smile so fondly that Mibuchi would have to suppress his squeal because “ _Sei-chan really looks cute when he’s like that.”_

 

Since they were all equally curious about what made Akashi smile, they planned to know what that paper contained. They even tried to bring Mayuzumi-senpai with them, but all they got from him was “ _You really wouldn’t want to get on his bad side.”_

 

“How much longer?”

 

“Just...a little more...”

 

Something metallic clicks.

 

“Yeah!” Nebuya cheers as Hayama quickly opens Akashi’s locker andsearches for that piece of paper. It isn’t long before he finds it hidden between folders on the club’s files. The paper is of a parchment color and smells like perfume. Mibuchi plucks it from his hand.

 

“Let me hold this. This is a really delicate thing, if you must know.”

 

“Why?” Both boys asked.

 

“Scented paper. Something that made Sei-chan smile. It’s obvious that this is a love letter.”

 

“It is?”

 

“I should know. I’ve received quite a few myself.”

 

“Let’s read it then!”

 

Hayama and Nebuya looks over his shoulders. With careful fingers, Mibuchi pries open the paper and hold it open for the three of them to see.

 

“ _He walks in beauty,_

_unlike the night._

_He is the morning,_

_the night is dark_

_but he shines_

_the brightest ever seen,_

_Like fire burning_

_Stars glowing_

_Sun ablaze._

_Too close and it burns,_

_but to lose sight of it-_

_of him-_

_is to lose myself._

 

_-M.S.”_

 

“I don’t understand,” Hayama says, scratching his head.

 

“Are you dumb?” Nebuya hits his back, “It’s a poem. By whoever this M.S. is for Akashi. A love poem to be exact, right, Reo-nee...wait, are you crying?”

 

“I’m sorry,” Mibuchi says as he wipes the tears that formed in his eyes, “I’m just...very touched. Oh, this is so romantic. Someone writing poetry for Sei-chan, ah, our boy has grown so much.”

 

“It’s bad poetry,” Hayama comments.

 

“Oh, whatever. Poetry is the unadulterated expression of emotions,” Mibuchi protests, “As long as it’s written with all sincerity and love, there is no such thing as bad poetry.”

 

“I agree,” Nebuya says proudly, “To be able to say your feelings is a true sign of strength.”

 

“I didn’t think you’re the romantic type, Nebuya.” They all freeze at the sound of Akashi’s voice. They turn around and see the surprised look on his face. “What are you doing?”

 

“Ah, Sei-chan, we’re really sorry. We were just curious. You were reading this yesterday and you’re smiling and...”

 

Akashi is beside them in a few strides and he takes the paper away from them, a worried look on his face. He turns it over and inspects it closely.

 

“You might have crumpled it,” he whispers, folding the paper neatly again. He then looks at the three accusingly. “You could have just asked me. I would have shown you anyway.”

 

“You’re not angry?”

 

“I’m not,” he sighs, “But this will reflect on your training menu for a week.”

 

“Well, at least it’d be productive,” Hayama says, “I feel like I’m falling way behind in training anyway.”

 

“Akashi, who’s M.S.?” Nebuya asks boldly, completely forgetting that they have just been caught red-handed.

 

“Someone who’s courting me,” Akashi answers as he fixes his locker. He really needs to get the lock changed immediately.

 

“It was a really sweet poem, Sei-chan. Will you tell us who it is?”

 

He closes his locker, takes a breath, and looks at them.

 

“You won’t tell anyone else, promise me.”

 

“Promise,” they say at the same time. All Hayama can think about is how Mayuzumi-senpai is so going to be out of the loop for not joining them. 

 

“It’s my old teammate, Midorima Shintarou.”

 

_It’s a guy,_ Nebuya thinks. He didn’t know Akashi leans that way. He and Hayama looks at each other. They are thinking of the same thing. 

 

“Ah, I remember him!” Mibuchi says excitedly, saving them from the awkward silence, “He is a really wonderful shooter. He looks beautiful, too. Weren’t you on bad terms?”

 

“We had it fixed recently,” Akashi says, drawing out his words.

 

“That’s good to hear. I think you would go well with each other. From what we’ve been hearing about your friends from your stories, he sounds reliable and great. Well, the real question is do you like him, though?”

 

For probably the first time, the three of them witness Akashi Seijuurou turn pink to the ears. He covers his mouth with the back of his hand and looks away.

 

“I do.”

 

Many people wondered why there was a loud squeal that came from Rakuzan Basketball Club’s lockers that afternoon.

 

.

 

“Shin-chan, why do you look so glum?”

 

“You should know there’s nothing new with that face, Takao.”

 

“Stop talking and keep practicing idiots!”

 

The basketball gym was lively that afternoon with the third years paying their juniors a visit. Winter Cup has just ended but the Kanto Tournament draws near, and Shuutoku has a title to reclaim. With this in mind plus his worries on courting Akashi, Midorima has been more serious than usual. Takao noticed, of course, and he has been bugging him about it ever since.

 

“I mean, wow, are we even friends? Am I even a friend to you? Friends tell friends stuff, you know. What have I been pedaling all this time for? I am hurt. I am very much hurt, Shin-chan.”

 

“It’s nothing you should concern yourself about,” he grunts.

 

“Okay,” Takao leads the rickshaw to the side of the road and stops. “We’re not moving from here until you tell me what’s bothering you.”

 

“Takao!”

 

“Come on! You haven’t been your usual self the whole day. I get worried too, you know.”

 

He looks away from Takao, feeling the words starting to pour out. When he’s like that, he just can’t refuse.

 

“Fine,” he crosses his arms and looks at him again, “How do you...court someone?”

 

He was expecting him to laugh, but instead, Takao just stares at him.

 

“What?” Takao asks.

 

“I’m asking how do you court someone.”

 

“You mean ask someone out?”

 

“No. Court. Make someone like you. The traditional way our parents did, probably.”

 

“You’re courting someone.”

 

“Isn’t it obvious now?”

 

Takao snorts, and finally laughs out loud, his voice ringing annoyingly in Midorima’s ears. It probably was a whole minute before he got to compose himself and face him with as much as seriousness he can muster.

 

“Okay, sorry. Sorry about that. I didn’t think you’re the type to court someone. And who?”

 

“I told you my problem, can you keep on pedaling now?”

 

“Fine, fine,” he turns around and moves the rickshaw back to the road, “Seriously, it depends on the person. You should know her type, what she likes, what she doesn’t like. Of course, you have to make time for her, too. Flowers. Chocolates. Love letters. Poems. The usual sappy stuff in movies.”

 

“Have you ever tried doing any of these?”

 

“There was a girl in middle school. We went out for about five months.”

 

Midorima thinks about all of these. Akashi isn’t too fond of flowers. Or love letters. He remembered that one time he received a letter from many of his admirers and he would scrunch his nose while reading it. _It’s too pink,_ he would say. He knows that he liked tofu soup for its mediocrity, but that would be overdone and too simple to give him one. To do the “usual sappy stuff in movies” feels like taking the easy road. It won’t have an impact on Akashi as much as he would like. He already did that poem anyway, and every time he remembers it, he just want tohide forever. He had to do something different that’s not too sickly sweet nor too extravagant.

 

“Well, have you thought of something?” Takao breaks into his thoughts.

 

“I’m going to visit him in Kyoto.”

 

“Oh, that’s far away. The things you do for love, Shin-chan.” Takao presses on the brake so suddenly that made Midorima slide on his seat. “Wait. _Him_? Who’s him?”

 

“Forget I said anything!” he shouts, realizing too late what he said.

 

“No! Tell me who!”

 

“Shut up!”

 

“Wait...Kyoto. Oh my god, Shin-chan are you courting Akashi Seijuurou?”

 

“Die!”

 

.

 

[My class ended at 3:00 PM but I have a meeting right now in the student council. I’ll probably be out before 5. I have no plans after that. Why do you ask?]

 

Akashi sends the message quickly and returns his attention to the meeting. It was probably a disgrace if the acclaimed Seijuurou Akashi would be caught using his phone in the middle of an important discussion, but fortunately, he knows a little bit of acting and can type fast enough.

 

His phone vibrates on his palm.

 

[I’m waiting outside your school gate. Just send me a message when you’re done.]

 

Akashi’s head shoots up and he looks outside the window. He has a vague view of the school gates from their room, and looking at it now, he does see a familiar green hair outside. He wanted to go out, but as he is still presiding a meeting, he has to stay. It's foolish of Midorima to go into Kyoto unannounced, nevertheless, he feels the sides of lips turning up.

 

Once the meeting is over, Akashi says a few final words before quickly going outside. It’s a few seconds late before he realizes he is almost running. He slows down, not wanting to be caught excited at the thought of seeing Midorima again.

 

“Didn’t you have class today?” he tells him the moment he reaches Midorima. He’s in a simple white polo shirt and brown pants and he’s wearing his favorite brown leather shoes. He’s got to admit, Midorima really is a pretty sight.

 

“We had no class today. I thought I’d visit you.”

 

“You should have told me beforehand, I could have prepared something.”

 

“I wanted to surprise you,” he produces a book from his bag, “this is the newest release.”

 

Upon closer look, it was the light novel series he has been reading since middle school. Midorima has caught him reading once, and he told him to forget he has seen him in such activity. He was known for books of philosophy and economics, and for people to know he read light novels would affect his image.

 

“You remembered,” he smiles at him. “I was meaning to get this in the store. Thanks.”

 

“You’re free for dinner?” Midorima asks, rocking on his heels. He seems fidgety, Akashi notices, and he think he understands because there is an erratic beating against his own chest. 

 

“Where are you planning to?”

 

“There’s a place not too far from here. I heard it’s newly established but the reviews are great. We can take a cab from here, unless you’re going to be picked up by your driver?”

 

“I usually go home alone now,” he tells him. “Do you think we can walk to there? It’s still early anyway.”

 

“It’s fine with you?”

 

“I want that. We can talk a lot more.”

 

“I want that, too,” Midorima smiles. “At least, let me carry your bag.”

 

“Aren’t you taking this courting a little bit too seriously?” 

 

Despite his words, he fondly gives his bag to Midorima. The other boy takes it and hooks it on his right shoulder. Taking advantage of the space, Akashi scoots closer to Midorima’s side, their arms bumping. Should he hold his hand already? Or would that be too early? He wouldn’t want to give Midorima mixed signals, would he? He takes a breath and decides this is fine for now. Close, but not too close.

 

“Akashi?”

 

He shakes off from his distraction and looks at Midorima, and he ends up staring directly into his eyes. They have always been a beautiful green, of course he knows. He liked staring into them when Midorima’s lost in thought, coming up of a way to overturn his impending defeat in all the shogi games they played. Now it’s much more beautiful, warmer and somehow wiser. Eyes that have gone through pain and defeat and recovery, just like the things they went through in the short expanse of two years. In those eyes he saw the truth, that despite everything, Midorima is still as devoted to him. 

 

A small smile forms on his lips. Maybe, it is high time for him to accept that he’s as devoted to Midorima as well. He links their hands, much to Midorima’s surprise.

 

“Shall we?”

 

.

 

“Do you think he likes me back?”

 

“You ask me that when you’ve been on your phone smiling all the time, probably exchanging messages with him? You made me read them, too, oh the agony,” Takao clutches his chest dramatically, “If it isn’t obvious enough, how can you be so blind, Shin-chan?”

 

“I don’t want to assume anything!”

 

“Oh yeah? Guess who said this: _Things have been quite slow around here. Maybe it’s because I didn’t get to talk to you for a day. Are you alright?_ ”

 

“He’s just worried. Friends get worried about their friends.”

 

“Right. Because friends tell their friends _Listen to this song, it reminded me of you,_ and you go to that song and it’s a love song. I wouldn’t do that to you!”

 

“It’s a ballad.”

 

“Love song.”

 

“A ballad,” Midorima insists.

 

“Remember when he held your hand while you walked one time you visited him?”

 

“It was probably cold that time.”

 

“Shin-chan, it’s summer. And for the record, it was a love song.”

 

Takao had been suffering from Midorima’s woes and worries over the past few days. It really nagged him. That’s why Midorima doesn’t know that he called Akashi Seijuurou to have _T_ _he Talk_ with him. He wants confirmation by himself that his friend is not being played around with. You’ll never know. After all, people can have the same principles both in basketball and real life. It was an awkward conversation at first, but they ended up talking for a long time. The most important thing was he heard it from Akashi himself that he liked Midorima back and is just waiting for the right time to tell him.

 

“ _Don’t take so long_ ,” he tells him through the phon _e, “And if you hurt Shin-chan again, I’m gonna go to Kyoto myself and give you a good beating._ ”

 

“ _I wouldn’t like that,_ ” was what he answered in a soft voice, and there Takao realized that what he feared wouldn’t happen. Akashi does care about Midorima as much as he does.

 

“You really think he likes me back?” Midorima asks again after a long stretch of silence.

 

“Do I have to confirm it through the school’s intercomm?” Takao sighs tiredly, shaking his head, “Teenagers in love.”

 

.

 

“I like you. A lot. I’ve always liked you since middle school, really, I don’t know why. I just realized that I looked forward to seeing you and just spending time with you makes me a lot happier. I’ve always liked you, but what you’ve done the past months made me fall in love with you.”

 

Midorima stares at Akashi, his jaw hanging open. Never in his life did he think things would turn out this way. Akashi has come to Tokyo just to watch him in the Kanto qualifiers. They are alone in the back of the stadium and it’s so quiet that Midorima can hear his heart pounding against his chest.

 

“So...is that-”

 

“I’m telling you that I like you. You can stop courting me now and we can officially be in a relationship.”

 

He feels like he’s going to have a heart attack.

 

“You’re my...boyfriend now,” he says unbelievingly.

 

Akashi reaches out and covers Midorima’s mouth with his hands. His ears are a bright red. “Don’t...just say that word casually.”

 

“Is it embarrassing?” he says against his palms.

 

Akashi bows and shakes his head. “I just like it too much.”

 

Midorima lets out a small laugh and removes Akashi’s hands from his mouth then pulls him into an embrace, planting a kiss on top of his head. Akashi hugs back tightly, burying his face against Midorima’s school jacket. He breathes him in and he smells of soap and basketball and everything he’s been wishing for.

 

They pull away after what seemed like forever and looked at each other. 

 

“You should go now, your match starts soon,” Akashi grabs his hands and squeezes them tight. “Good luck. Though I’m sure you’re in it for the finals. Let’s have dinner after?”

 

“I’d like that,” he smiles. He lets go and pats Akashi’s head. Before he goes, he tells him one last thing he supposes every dutiful boyfriend does before he finally leaves for his game: “My first shot is for you.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Another fic for December! Happy akamido/midoaka season :D
> 
> This fic is for Chaco(-senpai) :3 Thank you for your arts and for being a great senpai to us *v* Also, please accept this fluffy fic as a peace offering for all the angst stuff I put up on twit hehe :3 I hope you like this =.= I wish I could have made this more fluffy and sweet and dorky aaah


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